C679 Spider-Man (Patreon)
Content
The dust of the battlefield hung thick in the air as Peter sat casually atop the massive head of the Nine-Tails, Kurama. His light-hearted demeanor contrasted sharply with the tense, wary postures of the surrounding ninja from Konoha.
As the huge creature’s eyes fluttered open, slowly regaining consciousness, the ninjas instinctively recoiled, kunai knives laced with explosive tags in their hands, which they swiftly hurled forward. The sharp glint of metal flickered under the moonlight as they aimed at both Peter and the fox.
"Whoa, easy now," Peter said, waving his hand dismissively. In a smooth motion, he conjured a gust of wind that spiraled upwards, whisking the kunai into the air where they detonated harmlessly like fireworks. He turned back to the stunned crowd. "I'd really appreciate not being blown up, thanks."
Below him, Kurama was fully alert now, the impromptu fireworks serving as a rather explosive wake-up call. Recalling his recent subjugation and the subsequent thrashing by this unusually strong human, rage brewed within him. But as he tried to rise, a quick slap from Peter sent him back to the ground.
"Calm down, will you? Unless you want another beating?" Peter chided, looking directly into Kurama's large, fiery eyes.
The assembled ninjas, including the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, watched in disbelief. None had ever seen anyone handle the Nine-Tails with such audacity—not even the legendary First Hokage had displayed such nonchalance when dealing with a tailed beast.
Enraged, Kurama thrashed, attempting to dislodge Peter from his head. With a resigned sigh, Peter gestured with a flourish, casting a spell that wrapped the fox in glowing golden eldritch energy, pinning him firmly to the ground.
Just as the ninjas began to relax, sighing in relief, Kurama's mouth suddenly gaped open, gathering a swirling mass of chakra that formed a glowing purple orb—a Tailed Beast Bomb. Panic spread rapidly as the orb pointed ominously toward the village's residential district.
Without hesitation, the Third Hokage leapt forward, unrolling a scroll filled with sealing jutsu, prepared to risk everything to contain the destructive force. But before he could act, Peter intervened, stepping between them and reaching out to touch the deadly orb.
"No!" Hiruzen shouted, a mix of command and concern in his voice, fearing for the young man's life.
Ignoring the warning, Peter's fingers met the churning energy of the Tailed Beast Bomb. The ninjas braced for the worst, but instead of detonating or incinerating him, the orb began to shrink under Peter's touch, the energy dissipating until it vanished completely, leaving behind only a stunned silence.
Kurama, now visibly shaken and more confused than ever, stared at Peter with wide eyes. "W-Who are you?!" he muttered in a mix of fear and awe.
A ripple of astonishment swept through the gathered ninjas as they processed the fox's ability to speak. Whispers broke out among them, a mixture of fear and wonder coloring their tones as they stared at Kurama, realizing that the creature wasn’t some mindless beast.
Peter just grinned, dusting off his hands as if he'd done nothing unusual. "Me? I’m just your friendly neighbor Spider-Man, but I’m not on the job right now, so you can call me Peter.” He answered, his voice light and teasing, "so who are you?"
Kurama's eyes narrowed, his voice a deep rumble. "Why should I tell you?"
Peter just shrugged, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. "Fair point. Still, if you won't tell me your name, I guess I have to call you something. How about Pee-Wee?"
The fox's fur bristled, and he snapped, "Do not call me that!"
Peter chuckled, unaffected by the threat in Kurama's tone. "Sorry, Pee-Wee, but if I don’t know your name, what am I supposed to call you?" His eyes sparkled with mischief, clearly enjoying himself.
The fox growled, low and menacing, but there was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Why do you care? What are you really after?"
"Nothing much," Peter replied, stretching his arms lazily. "Just making conversation. Besides, isn't it nicer talking like this than trying to kill each other?"
Kurama huffed, turning his massive head away, his gaze fixed on the distant mountains. "Humans have never cared for conversation. Only control."
Peter nodded, his tone softening. "I get it. You've had it rough. But not everyone's out to control you. Some of us prefer making friends, or at least trying to."
The air hung heavy for a moment as Kurama's eyes shifted, reflecting a starry sky. "Why would you want to be friends with a creature like me?"
"Because," Peter began, leaning forward, his expression earnest, "everyone needs a friend, even a giant nine-tailed fox. Besides, you're kind of cool, you know, in a terrifying, awe-inspiring sort of way."
A soft snort escaped Kurama, and for a moment, it seemed as though he might smile. "You are a strange human."
"That’s part of the charm," Peter quipped. "So, friends?"
Kurama's gaze hardened, reflecting the suspicious sentiments that flickered among the watching ninjas. "No. We are not friends. I trust no human."
Peter paused, his easy smile faltering slightly. "Alright, no rush. We’ll take it one step at a time," he said, though the lightness in his voice had dimmed.
Kurama's eyes remained steely, unyielding. "And stop calling me 'Pee-Wee.'"
Peter nodded, the playful spark in his eyes replaced by a more serious glint. "Sure. If you tell me your name?"
The fox eyed him warily, the mistrust palpable. After a moment, he grudgingly muttered, "Kurama."
"Kurama," Peter repeated, nodding in acknowledgment. His tone carried a newfound respect. "Alright, Kurama. It’s nice to meet you."
Suddenly, the crackle of kunai clashing against kunai echoed through the air, dragging every eye back to the ongoing duel in the field. They were so stunned by Peter's handling of Kurama, and the revelation that the Nine-Tails could speak, that they had entirely overlooked the ongoing battle between Minato and the mysterious man.
Minato, with his bright yellow hair flashing under the moonlight, teleported around the battlefield with supernatural speed, his kunai shimmering with the residue of his jutsu.
Across from him, the masked man matched each of Minato's moves with eerie calmness, his Sharingan eye glinting malevolently.
The clash of their battle was brutal and unforgiving. Minato's movements were a blur, each teleportation leaving behind a gust of wind that rustled the nearby trees. He wielded the Rasengan, a whirling orb of chakra, launching it at Obito with deadly precision.
Obito, in turn, used his unique ability to phase through physical attacks, his body swirling and blurring at the edges each time Minato's Rasengan passed harmlessly through him.
As the third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, witnessed the fierce engagement, he felt a surge of urgency. With a determined look, he started forward, intent on aiding his successor. But just as he took a step, a wall of shimmering energy sprang up around the combatants. Hiruzen halted, his eyes widening in disbelief.
All around, the gathered ninjas murmured in confusion, their attention snapping towards Peter, who had conjured the barrier. "What are you doing?" Hiruzen demanded, his usual warm tone taking a dangerous edge.
Even Kurama, secured beside Peter, raised a brow, puzzled by Peter's intentions. “?”
Peter just smiled, his demeanor calm and collected. "Trust me, Minato can handle this. He needs to see the truth for himself," he explained, his voice carrying a hinting tone.
Before anyone could react, Peter vanished from their side and reappeared inside the barrier, materializing directly behind Obito, startling him. With a swift motion, Peter reached out, yanking the mask from Obito's face.
The action was so unexpected, so quick, that Obito had no time to react or to use his phasing ability. Especially since Peter waited until he couldn’t phase anymore.
You see, Obito can only keep his body intangible for approximately five minutes, and as long as his intangibility is activated, he cannot teleport; in the brief moment between when he solidifies and when he teleports, Obito is vulnerable.
And that’s exactly when Peter chose to appear, ripping the mask from his head.
The mask clattered to the ground, revealing Obito's face to the shocked onlookers. Minato's eyes widened in disbelief, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. Outside the barrier, Kakashi gasped, his body beginning to shake.
Obito, his face now bare and filled with a mix of rage and humiliation, turned sharply towards Peter. "You!" he snarled, but before he could launch an attack, Peter was already outside the barrier, waving cheekily.
"Sorry, but this is between master and student, so I’ll keep out of your business…" Peter's voice was light, but there was an undeniable firmness to it.
Frustration boiled over in Obito. With a roar, he tried to teleport away, intent to escape, but found himself hopelessly trapped in the barrier. “What?!” He shouted in shock, turning to Peter. “What did you do?!”
Peter's smirk only widened as he observed from the outside. "Sorry, that won't work. I made it so you can’t run away," he called out, as the barrier pulsed with energy, sealing Obito's fate within.
In the quiet that followed the revelation of Obito’s identity, Peter suddenly remembered something, his gaze shifting back to Minato, whose face was etched with betrayal and confusion.
“Hey, Minato,” Peter called out, his voice cutting through the silence with an urgency that refocused everyone's attention. “Where’s your wife? She needs help, right?”
Minato’s eyes, clouded with shock, flicked towards Peter. Realization dawned on him as he remembered Kushina’s perilous state.
Even amidst the chaos, a thread of trust wove its way through Minato. He hardly knew Peter and had barely noticed anything beyond his immediate confrontation with Obito, yet, amid all the uncertainty, he found himself believing in this strange, unknown ally.
“She’s at our home with Naruto, she—she’s probably not going to make it,” Minato said, his voice cracking slightly as he turned to Obito, the man responsible for her condition.
“!” Obito’s eyes flickered under Minato’s intense gaze, and he looked away, unable to meet his teacher’s gaze.
Peter nodded solemnly, the playful demeanor momentarily slipping away to reveal a genuine concern. “I’ll take care of her. Just tell me where to go.”
Kakashi stepped forward, his usual composure replaced by a palpable sense of urgency. “I’ll show you,” he said, determination steeling his voice.
Peter glanced at the minuscule form of Kurama, now no larger than a small dog but still as formidable in spirit. “Want to tag along?” he asked, half-joking yet sincere.
Kurama, his dignity bruised but curiosity piqued, gave a reluctant nod. “Sure, why not?” He responded, hoping to use this opportunity to escape.
Ignoring the murmurs of dissent from the surrounding ninjas, Peter drew a spell circle in the air with a swift motion of his hand. The runes glowed briefly before firing towards Kurama, not only releasing him but shrinking his body to the size of a small puppy.
“What?! What did you do to me?!” Kurama’s roar, unexpectedly high-pitched, drew astonished and amused glances from around them.
With a smirk, Peter nodded to Kakashi. “Lead the way.”
Kurama, scrambling after Peter and Kakashi, yelped, “Hey! Change me back right now!”
A/N: 1882 words :)